Tuesday, February 1, 2011

What a Day

I've been gone from work since last Tuesday and I was hit with a couple of huge bricks when I got to work this morning. First I learned that the elderly husband of our recently retired receptionist had died last Saturday of the cancer he'd been battling for the last year or two. She was looking forward to spending a few years with her husband before he passed on and instead she only got a few weeks. My heart goes out to her. Married 62 years to the same person--I can't imagine the adjustment she'll have to make and I hope she's going to be okay.

Not an hour later, I got an email from a good friend telling me that a former co-worker of mine from the old days in Duluth had died unexpectedly last Friday night. We'd worked together for a few years and then went our separate ways. He started a very successful business and for a year or so I worked for him but then I parted and started my business as well. I remember him saying to me, "Stick with me, work hard, and when we retire, we'll vacation in Tahiti." My response was that I wanted to spend my time now with my kids in my own back yard--Tahiti could wait. Did he ever make it to Tahiti? I hope so. This man was only a few months older that me. Makes me wonder if I'm making the best use of my time . I think I am, but I'll make more of an effort to do the things I want to do and be the person I want to be.

Third bombshell of the day came at lunch. One of my co-workers is pregnant for the second time. I hope all goes well for her since her other child is severely disabled and needs a great deal of care. No one has been able to tell his parents the cause of his condition so there's no way of knowing if the second child will be disabled or not. With all my heart, I hope not. This young couple already has so much stress in their lives.

Wow. What a day. My quilt guild is meeting tonight and I was debating whether or not to go on such a blustery and cold evening. After such startling and sad news today, I believe I need to be with the guild for a while.

About Me

I retired from my career as a social worker about 4 years ago, went on a trip, and then returned to work, part-time. In March, I finally decided to totally leave the world of work, and am now enjoying long, lazy days as a retired person. I share my home with my patient husband of 40+ years and with a cat that we are fostering for our middle child. She lives in Maine with her daughter, Lily. We also have a son in Milwaukee with a wife and 3 children, and the youngest child is a social worker in the Minneapolis area. When I'm not at my sewing machine, which I try to use at least once a day, I can be found in the garden or swimming pool or bike path in the summer, or reading a good book in front of the fireplace with a stew or soup bubbling on the stove.